Of Cereal and Headphones
by LavenderBlossom74
Summary: All Annabeth wanted was to buy cereal and milk but nooo OR Percy decides to help out the blonde who jumps on a table at Walmart on Black Friday and starts yelling about long lines and cereal and such. Percabeth AU one-shot.


_**AN:**_ So this is a tribute to Black Friday and my way of venting out my own frustrations. Haha, it would've been funny to see this happen, sadly it didn't.

I did get the idea while we were at Wal-Mart though so lol.

 **IMPORTANT:** If you are reading this and don't know what Black Friday is, here's the crash course:

It's the day after Thanksgiving, a US holiday that basically symbolizes being thankful for what you have. It has roots way back into American Colonization and basically we celebrate it by making many seasonal dishes (turkey, especially) and eating together with the people we are thankful for.

It always lands on the third Thursday of November so the day afterwards is called Black Friday.

Basically, businesses go out of the red (debt) and go into the black (not debt) since people buy and _buy_ hence BLACK Friday. Things are put on sale everywhere and stores are open since Thursday evening and go on through Friday.

It gets pretty hectic with people snatching things and yelling things.

So yeah, that's black Friday in a nutshell!

Oh and I don't own PJO!

So yeah, now that that's done and over with, _enjoy!_

* * *

If someone would've told Percy that he would meet the love of his life at Wal-Mart on Black Friday, he would called them crazy - delusional even.

Because there was no way that he could ever fall in love with a black Friday shopper.

No matter who they were on any other day, Black Friday had a way of bringing out the worst in people. It could turn the nicest, most caring and self-less person on the planet into the most intimidating, most demanding, and most infuriating one.

Complete with standing on the table where the "$5 SHIRTS! GET YOURS NOW! (only while supplies last)" were proudly displayed and giving everybody within hearing distance a piece of her mind.

The only thing that wasn't accurate in the picture however, was that she wasn't a Black Friday shopper.

Percy for his part, actually was.

He'd been waiting for a specific pair of Bluetooth headphones ever since he saw them about 6 months prior. He told himself to be patient and wait for Black Friday and he had.

Which was how he found himself at Wal-Mart at 1 in the morning, three spots away from being able to pay and get outta the chaotic place.

Looking at the line, he was glad he'd arrived earlier - it was twice as long as it had been when he'd first entered it!

The person checking out finished paying and then it was only two more spots away from freedom and his epically awesome headphones.

He was mumbling under his breath about how the person currently checking out didn't even need more than half of what they were buying and they were "gonna return it before the end of the year anyway, so why bother?" when it happened.

His head shifted just a smidge but it was enough to spot a commotion happening towards the back of line.

He was all eyes as he watched a blonde jump up onto a table, blow her curls out of her face and place her hands on her hips.

"Okay, look here _people,_ I just came to get a frickin box of cereal and a gallon of milk! And I am not waiting in this gigantic snake you crazies call a line to do so. Capiche? So either you guys move it or lose it."

Percy's eyebrows shot up before he smirked.

She had guts, he'd give her that much.

Those around him began to whisper and murmur amongst themselves, many hiding laughs behind their hands.

He rolled his eyes and continued to watch.

The girl's gray eyes narrowed into a menacing glare that made even Percy shuffle nervously for a few seconds.

Needless to say, the murmurs ceased and the girl proudly smirked (not before _hrmphing_ though).

An employee tentatively approached her and Percy almost felt sorry for the man had he not provided a wonderful source of entertainment.

He fruitlessly tried to get the girl simply glared at him like he was the lowest scum the earth had to offer and said, "I am a _customer_ and I expect quality customer service!"

The already frightened guy shrunk even more into himself, "B-but, ma'am, these people are customers too and our service must be equal-"

The girl's glare that promised eternal pain shut him up from digging his own grave even further.

"Oh really? Well I'm a _loyal_ customer! I've always bought my frosted flakes at Wal-Mart!" then, she added, "Even when Publix or Kroger have better deals, I _always_ get my cereal here! Do you hear me? I choose _you_ " (again the distasteful glare) "Over _Publix_ and _Kroger_!"

Against his better judgement, Percy felt the corners of his lips tilt up.

His attention was momentarily diverted when he was hissed at to _"move dude, you're holding up the line!"_

He sent an annoyed look to the person behind him before moving up.

 _One more spot!_

Still, he was amused as he saw the cashier try to politely greet the couple in front of Percy even as her plastered smile became more and more strained.

Grinning, he turned his attention back to the source of the cashier's distress.

The blonde was still arguing with the employee who was becoming more and more flustered with with each passing second.

Finally, the man bit out. "Sorry ma'am but I'm going to have to call security."

Incredulous was the best way to describe the girl's response to this.

Her face got the color of a tomato and as much as Percy would've like to see the employee suffer at her wrath, he knew she'd only make it worse for herself.

Not even knowing why he was doing it but feeling some strange feeling beckoning him to help the girl, he spoke to the person behind him (the same one who'd hissed at him earlier).

"Hold my place, will you dude?"

Without waiting for a response, he marched over to the blonde and the employee.

"Hey!"

The scathing glare was directed at him and could he just say he didn't appreciate being on the receiving end of that particular glare?

He coughed awkwardly to try and cover up his small squeak of fear (this girl could go into the FBI and be the criminal interrogator - thugs would break to her like glass).

"Uh, um, hi. I think I can help."

The employee gaped at him like he was an Angel from heaven while the girl's glare softened the tiniest bit.

"Uh… "

 _Get a hold of yourself, Jackson!"_

Clearing his throat he continued, "I'm at the front of this line and I'd be willing to let her pay in front of me."

The employee started to shake his head, some stubborn part of his 'employee training 101' kicking in (probably the part about customers not letting other customers cut them in line).

"No sir, I can't ask you to do that."

 _No matter how much I want to_ seemed to be left unsaid at the end.

Percy pursed his lips, "You're not _asking_ me to, I'm _offering_ to"

"Um, I-"

Some lady in line shouted, "Oh just let the boy be a gentleman and help out! Clearly, he's doing it to impress Blondie up there, which girl if I was you I'd totally let Green-eyes over there take me on a date. You know, just sayin'."

Percy felt his ears grow hot and he fought his fight or flight instinct. Instead, he held his ground and calmly waited.

 _He was the epitome of confident composure. He was a gentleman._

Risking a look up, he noticed the girl's cheeks were aflame, her ears strawberries. Strangely, she didn't say anything about the lady calling her "Blondie" (which Percy got the feeling wasn't a name she was fond of).

The employee shuffled "Erm. Okay."

The girl immediately jumped down, trying to appear unfazed about everything that had occurred.

Her flushed face said it all though.

Percy smirked.

Grabbing her milk and frosted flakes, the girl looked at him and raised her eyebrows. Percy led her back to his spot (hissing dude actually did hold his place).

The couple in front was just finishing paying so Percy waved the girl in front of him.

Holding her head high, she put her items on the sliding belt.

And that was Percy liked about her, he realized.

How she held onto her boldness and wits even when she knew it would get her into trouble.

Because even though he'd never met her before, he could already tell she was the girl who was headstrong and spoke her mind just from what he'd seen today.

She was the girl who didn't care what others thought of her and wouldn't let the opinions of others influence her choices.

And finally, she was the girl who had managed to get Percy Jackson falling heads over heels for her in less than 10 minutes.

He snapped out of it when said girl plucked his headphones out of his hands and have gave them to the cashier.

His eyes widened at the implication.

"Um, _no."_ He looked at the cashier, "Do _not_ scan those. _I'm_ paying for them."

The girl huffed, "Scan them"

"No"

"Yes"

" _No"_

" _Yes"_

"NO"

"How else am I supposed to say Thank you?!"

He didn't have an answer for that.

With another word, the cashier scanned the headphones and the girl was swiping her card before Percy could even blink.

She grabbed her own bags and started towards the exit leaving Percy's headphones.

Percy grabbed his bag and raced after her.

Not wanting to make another commotion, he waited until they were almost outside.

Then, he grabbed her arm. "Hey, you didn't have to do that"

She turned around, "I already told you, I wanted to say Thank you"

Percy blew out air frustratingly, "I didn't help you out so that you could pay for my things! I just… I just…. "

The girl smiled softly, it suited her better than her scowl. "Maybe not. But believe it or not, the fact that you went out of your way to help someone you didn't even know means more than you think."

Sighing, Percy said, "I just let you cut me in line, that's not a big deal!"

"Honestly, you probably saved me from being escorted off the premises at the least, going to jail at the most."

"Still"

The girl shook her head, "Just take the thank you. Is it really that hard?"

They were less than an inch apart, Percy's heart was trying to do funny things in his heart (things it wasn't felxible enough to do like backflips and somersaults and handsprings.)

The girl finally broke eye contact and stepped back, "So yeah, thank you and uh, sorry for making a scene. I just get really frustrated and sometimes it boils over."

Percy grinned, "I think you were justified, I mean you _were_ a loyal customer."

The girl laughed, "Yeah."

She looked towards the exit, "Well, happy thanksgiving." She waved before trudging towards the doors.

Percy watched her, a clenching feeling his chest. She had guts - why didn't he?

Before he could change his mind, he shouted, "Hey, I never did get your name!"

Her surprised yet hopeful smile when she looked at him said all he needed to know.

"Annabeth."

He smiled back, "Percy." Desperate to keep the conversation going and therefore keep _Annabeth_ there, he asked, "So uh, why exactly did you come on black Friday of all days to get cereal and milk?"

Annabeth awkwardly laughed, "Ha, well that's kinda the fault of my roommate. Thalia can't survive without frosted flakes and knows how to persuade me to get them for her."

This time, it was Percy's turn to laugh and Annabeth's cheeks turned red, "Don't laugh!"

That just made him laugh harder.

He and Annabeth talked for a few more minutes. When she left, Percy did his best not to start jumping up and down when he glanced at the new contact on his phone.

 _He had her phone number!_

* * *

26 year-old Percy Jackson smiled as he remembered meeting Annabeth. Had it really happened only 7 years ago?

He was married to the love of his life now, as the silver band on his ring finger would show.

"Hey Wisegirl?"

Annabeth responded with "hm?" but didn't break her stride. She was finishing up with cooking the dishes they were going to take to Piper's later in the day for Thanksgiving Dinner. Percy had helped her chop stuff and left the actual oven-and-stove things to her.

"I'm so thankful for you"

 _This_ made her pause and smile and Percy lovingly "I'm thankful for you too, Seaweed Brain"

It was a beautiful thing.

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ Yayyy!

I hope you guys enjoyed! I literally wrote this in the wee hours of the morning but it worked out so Woohoo!

And you totally deserve kudos if you know the feeling of being dragged around by your mom to _shop_ of all things.

Bleh. Writing is better

If you shopped and enjoyed it, well kudos to you too!

Thanks for reading and comment if you have time!

Happy Thanksgiving,

~LB


End file.
